Biography

For an authentic traditional Australian country sound, look no further than Bush Ballad Singer / Songwriter, Dean Perrett.

There is an old saying “write and sing about what you know”, and having been raised and still working on the family cattle property Bowenfels, a soul of pure country is a natural thing for Dean.

During 2014 Dean celebrated 25 years as a Country Recording Artist in Australia. Over the last 25 years, Dean has gained his place as one of Australia’s favourite Bush Balladeers and leading traditional Country Artists.

Dean and his sister Kerri recorded their first album “Australia She’s Mine” in 1989. That first album gave Dean a love for recording and production. Since then Dean has released a stable of great traditional Country and Bush Ballad albums.

2006 brought a new era of successful albums when Dean teamed up with Producer Stuie French to create a sound that was uniquely Dean’s. In 2013 Dean started co-producing his recordings with Nashville based Producer Larry Marrs.

Gospel music is also very true to Dean’s heart and with the release of his Bluegrass Gospel Album, “The Shelter of the Cross” in October 2013, Dean gets to showcase another of his great musical loves, Gospel and Bluegrass.

January 2012 saw Dean added to a very exclusive list of Golden Guitar winners, when he was awarded Bush Ballad of the Year for his emotive duet with Lee Kernaghan, “Channel Country Ground”.

In January 2015 Dean added to his tally a further two Golden Guitars, one for Bush Ballad of the Year for “Bloodwood and Clover” and the second for Vocal Collaboration of the Year for the duet “My Country My Land” recorded and co-written with Troy Cassar-Daley.

Dean’s creditability as a writer of Australian Bush Songs goes unquestioned. When not making music, he is in the saddle on his family’s Queensland cattle property. Just like Dean, the songs he writes and sings, are very authentic and genuine. This is why the great Australian music genre, the Bush Ballad, is so important to Dean.

Artists such as Lee Kernaghan, Anne Kirkpatrick and Troy Cassar-Daley have such a respect for Dean’s music that each of these artists has recorded duets with Dean on his albums. Dean has performed at major festivals around Australia as well as touring with his own show to many locations nationwide.

His music is traditional yet fresh and modern. With a sound that is uniquely his own brand, Dean is set to make great Australian Country Music well into the future.

In 2015 Dean was given the honour of being inducted into the Australian Country Music Hands of Fame.

With the release of Dean’s 2018 album “Earn Your Spurs”, his tally of albums now stands at sixteen.

Awards

2018 Bush Ballad of the Year - CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia2018 Australian Independent Bush Ballad of the Year - Australian Independent Country Music Awards2018 Songwriters Award - Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards2018 Album Award - Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards

2015 Hands of Fame Inductee - Australian Country Music Hall of Fame2015 Vocal Collaboration of the Year (for duet with Troy Cassar-Daley) - CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia2015 Bush Ballad of the Year - CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia2015 Traditional Bush Ballad of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters' Association Songwriters' Salute Awards2015 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters' Association Songwriters' Salute Awards2015 Alternative Country/Blues/Bluegrass Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters' Association Songwriters' Salute Awards

2014 Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional) - Australian Independent Country Music Awards2014 Country Ballad of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters' Association Songwriters' Salute Awards2014 Country Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters' Association Songwriters' Salute Awards

2013 Songwriters' Award - Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards2013 Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional) - Australian Independent Country Music Awards 2013 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards

2012 Bush Ballad of the Year (for duet with Lee Kernaghan) - CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia2012 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards2012 Group or Duo of the Year - Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards2012 Trailblazers Heritage Award - Victorian Country Music Awards (National Section)

2011 Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional) - Australian Independent Country Music Awards

2009 Album of the Year - The Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards2009 Group/Duo Collaboration of the Year - The Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards2009 Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional) - Australian Independent Country Music Awards

2006 Bush Balladeer of the Year - ACRA’s (Australian Country Recording Awards)2006 Bush Balladeer of the Year - QLD Gold Medallion Awards2006 Group/Duo Collaboration of the Year - The Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards2006 Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional) - Australian Independent Country Music Awards

2005 Bush Ballad Album of the Year - Australian Country Recording Awards2005 Country Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards2005 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards

2004 Bluegrass Gospel Song of the Year - National Gospel Songwriting Awards2004 Bush Ballad Album of the Year - Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards2004 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards

2003 Bush Ballad Album of the Year - Australian Country Recording Awards

2002 Bush Ballad Album of the Year - Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards2002 Gospel Song of the Year - Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriters’ Salute Awards2002 Group, Duo or Instrumental of the Year - Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards